No squad in NFL history needed a bye week more than the Eagles, a team that has looked lackluster since the opening snap of the season...as in last season.

Head coach Andy Reid and former team president, Joe Banner — he was replaced in June by Don Smolenski — went on a supermarket spending spree before the 2011 campaign in an effort to bring a title to South Philly. So far, all it’s brought is mediocrity to the organization and disappointment to a fan base thirsty for a deep playoff run.

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy feels today's match-up against Atlanta is a must-win for his team. CHRIS KNIGHT, The Patriot-News

The breaking point came two weeks ago at home against Detroit. The Eagles blew a late lead in front of the hometown faithful to fall to 3-3 on the season and 11-11 since 2011.

“The bye would have been better if we would have won going into it,” said McCoy, who had his high school number retired last week during Bishop McDevitt’s homecoming game against Red Land.

“We just got to work harder, that’s all you can say. It’s a physical game, and guys get a chance to heal up and get focused. The stakes are high with all the heat in Philly. I think [the bye] was good for us.”

It better be.

The Eagles potentially have their season on the line today against Atlanta, the only undefeated team left in the NFL. Lose this one, and the season and Reid’s job could be lost.

But trust me, Reid won’t be the only domino to fall. If the Eagles fail to contend today or the rest of this season, expect wholesale changes in a locker room littered with more star power than team concept.

“It’s been tough,” McCoy said. “Being 3-3 and getting a loss before the bye week, you have time to think about things and get ready for our game with Atlanta. It’s just about focusing on our jobs.

“There are a lot of games where we are in the game, or winning, and find a way to lose it. I think if we just get back to winning football games, we will be all right.”

Winning cures all.

In the meantime, Reid, who looked uncharacteristically rattled in the post-game press conference after the Lions game, has already taken measures to shake things up.

Two days after the loss, he corrected one of his mistakes by firing defensive coordinator Juan Castillo from a job he shouldn’t have had in the first place. Reid followed it up by replacing turnstile tackle Demetress Bell with 6-9 giant King Dunlap.

“I wasn’t there all week,” McCoy said, “but we see the interviews, and it was a business decision. We stick with coach Reid and Mr. Lurie. My hats off to Juan, but we have to move on as a team and get better.”

The Eagles shortcomings aren’t going to be solved by firing Castillo and placing secondary coach Todd Bowles in the position. Although, it may have an immediate impact on that side of the ball.

There is the issue of an offensive line that can’t seem to grasp Howard Mudd’s system and a shell-shocked quarterback in Michael Vick that gets hit more than a gymnasium punching bag.

Then there is Reid himself. He has one of the most talented all-purposed running backs in the NFL in McCoy and doesn’t use him enough, especially with the game hanging in the balance.

“I’m very confident [we can turn this thing around],” McCoy said. “I think the skill level is there, and the potential is there. It’s just a matter of going out and finishing plays, finishing drives and finishing games.

“Lately, we haven’t been doing that. We just need to do a better job of converting and finishing games out.”

McCoy and the rest of the Eagles know this week is huge. Not just from a win-loss standpoint but also for a city that is starting to lose confidence in this team.

“I don’t want to be a team that panics,” McCoy said. “Same thing in the locker room, we’re not going to panic. We are just going to play ball and take it one game at a time.

“I think a team starts panicking when they start counting the losses and thinking the season is going bad, and it’s not. We just need to get back to playing good football, and we will be fine.”

Reid is 13-0 in his coaching career coming out of the bye week, but none are as important as No. 14.

There is no time to waste. It’s time for this team to live up to its potential. 